NGOs, volunteers lend helping hand

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 27

Several nonprofit organisations in the city have volunteered to be a part of distribution drive initiated to provide essential items to needy families in slums dwellings and rural belt.

Leading by example, Manpreet Singh Uppal (26), sarpanch of Daddian village, Majitha, distributed ration, sanitisers and masks to around 100 families in his village. “Most of these families rely on daily wages and are lacking access to essentials since the lockdown was announced. We are providing them with items such as food, sanitisers and masks. The need of the hour is that everyone who has resources and is capable of helping the needy should come forward for this cause,” said Manpreet. “It’s important for village panchayats too to come forward and help them in the times when people are facing shortage of resources,” he added.

An NGO, Voice of Amritsar, too carried out a distribution drive at Majitha Road and Batala Road. “We identified slum dwellings with at least 400-500 families of rag pickers and daily wagers. Our team went out there and provided them with 50 bags of ration, including 5 kg rice, 2 kg pulses, a bottle of refined oil, a packet each of salt and sugar and four packets of biscuits. We have ordered 100 more bags in which we will replace rice with flour as a staple food,” said NGO president Seenu Arora. Despite rain, the volunteers continued with the noble drive.

A free food service drive was initiated by Khanna Paper Mill too. Sharing details, Managing Director of mill and Madad Charitable foundation managing trustee Suneet Kochar said, “We will be providing lunch and dinner service to 350 police personnel who have been tirelessly working on ground to ensure success of lock down. First batch of police personnel will be served food this evening.”

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